What is lecithin? Is it good or bad? Everything you need to know – Italian Cuisine

What is lecithin? Is it good or bad? Everything you need to know


It is obtained mainly from soybeans, the legume more like meat than there is. In theory it does much more good than harm. Practically? Controversial, just like soy sauce is.

Lecithin is a miscela of phospholipids present in all plant and animal cells. That extracted from soy is the most used in thefood industry, mainly due to its function as emulsifier natural fat (that is, it has the ability to hold together aqueous substances and fatty substances, normally not miscible with each other). IS ubiquitous for example in ice cream, in homogenized milk and in sauces such as mayonnaise. It is also used a lot in industry cosmetic and pharmaceutical in the preparation, balms and ointments.

At the health level, its main property is that of fights excess cholesterol (here the other elements in the diet that help to increase the "good" cholesterol and keep the "bad" cholesterol at bay). In fact, lecithin prevents the cholesterol in the blood from being deposited in the arteries and cleans the jars from the fat that has settled on them. And soy lecithin, in this sense, is particularly effective: is present in soy beans and also in soybean oil, if cold pressed. Although to a much lesser extent than in soybeans, it is still found in egg yolk in primis, in the walnuts, and then yeast, oils vegetali, legumes such as lentils is peas, cauliflower, cereals and in particular in rice and in the wheat germ, in fveal egato and in milk.

THEand its properties do not end there: the lecithin improves metabolism body e promotes fat digestion. Rafforza antioxidant action of some vitamins, in particular A and E – for this reason, on an industrial level, it is also appreciated because it blocks the fat rancidity. IS rich in omega-3, omega-6 and minerals such as iron, calcium and phosphorus. Recent studies also indicate it as potentially beneficial in Alzheimer's, since the choline contained in it favors brain functions and improves memory skills. Finally it carries out action reconstituent, good for the liver and nervous system. CWith all these fantastic properties, what contraindications could it ever have?

Well, first of all the notorious GMOs: if the data say that at least 80% of soy world-wide is genetically modified, experts say that by now we can no longer speak of non-GMO soy on the planet Earth, including countries like Italy, where in theory it should not be. With all the problems that GMOs involve.

Second but not secondary: lecithin is obtained through a highly industrial process, and as we know foods and ingredients, more are industrially processed, less they are genuine and healthy. It is shown for example that in highly processed food the antioxidant action is lost and Omega-3 is lost. Furthermore, doubts about the carcinogenic (but also mutagenic, or damage to DNA, and other) potential of substances such as lecithin are not yet avoided. That is obtained from soy by mechanical extraction orppure extraction chemistry, using substances such as the hexane (a solvent); the acetone, thepetroleum ether, the'ethanol, the benzene, in addition to hydrogen peroxide to whiten it. This does not prove or mean that it is toxic in itself, but it is certainly not a fruit just picked from a tree that grows in an orchard biodynamic …

Carola Traverso Saibante
November 2019

DISCOVER THE COOKING COURSES OF SALT & PEPE

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